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Dimitri André

A high aged Kousasse or Konkomba sculpture, Northern Ghana or Northern Togo, close to the Moba population, standing on shortened highly abstract legs, broad hips, a columar torso, fragmentary arms the spherical head with archaic facial features, ; extremly heavy hard wood, strongly weathered, posted on a blackened plinth. Incl .stand.

The Koussasse sculpture is a significant example of African art that comes from the region shared by Togo and Ghana, specifically from the Ewe people, who inhabit both countries. The Ewe are known for their rich cultural traditions, and their art, including sculpture, is deeply linked to their religious beliefs, social structures, and rituals.
Key Aspects of Koussasse Sculpture:
1. Cultural Context: The Ewe people are known for their vibrant religious practices, and many of their sculptures are used in ceremonies and rituals. The sculptures can represent ancestral spirits, deities, or symbolic figures connected to the Ewe worldview.
2. Materials: Traditional sculptures like those from the Koussasse tradition are often crafted from wood, though they may also include materials like brass, clay, or other natural resources. The wood is usually carved with great precision and detail.
3. Stylistic Features: The sculptures often feature stylized human figures, faces, or abstract forms. These works are often characterized by exaggerated features (such as large eyes or elongated limbs) that represent spiritual or symbolic qualities rather than realistic depictions of people.
4. Spiritual Significance: Many of these sculptures are not simply decorative; they are deeply spiritual and serve to channel or represent the power of ancestors, gods, or spirits. They are used in ceremonies to invoke spiritual forces or honor past generations.
5. Koussasse and its Function: If the term "Koussasse" refers to a particular type of sculpture, it might be associated with a specific function or ritual within the Ewe society. In some cases, sculptures like these could be part of initiation rites, community celebrations, or religious rituals designed to protect or bless the community.
6. Modern Context: Today, such sculptures are also highly valued by collectors and museums around the world. They are important artifacts of African cultural heritage and play a role in preserving the traditions of the Ewe people.
The use of Koussasse sculptures within Ewe traditions highlights the deep connection between art, spirituality, and community in this region of West Africa. If you're referring to a specific sculpture or artist by the name "Koussasse"

The Konkomba people live in the Oti river basin in the northern border region of Ghana and Togo. Neighbors are the Mamprusi and Tchokossi in the north, the Lamba/Losso/Kabye in the east, the Bassari in the south and the Dagomba in the southwest . On the eastern side, the Konkomba area is interspersed with frequent Lamba settlements and some Konkomba groups can also be found in the south of the Bassari region . The Konkomba are composed of five clans, whose cohesion however is marginal , they thus do not form a coherent people. The overarching denomination ‘’Konkomba’’ has probably obtained its significance through the colonial linguistic usage . Alternate denominations are today Kpankpam, Bikpakpaln or Bikpakpaam. Their language is Konkomba (or Likpakpaln), which belongs to theOti-Volta sub-group of the Gur languages.
The Konkomba are considered acephalous and autochthonous, although local migration is frequent since they are semi-nomads . They adhere to the typical animistic beliefs of this region, including a creator god, different types of spirits, ancestor worship and reincarnation beliefs, details can be found in . All sacred places and shrines are outdoors, they do not have ancestor houses, as do for instance the neighboring Lamba and Kabye.Concerning the statuary, no images/photos or references of sculptures or figures attributed to the Konkomba can be found in the literature of the 19th and 20th centuries – only in recent years have works attributed to the Konkomba appeared on the tribal art market, many of them are large-scale, i.e. higher than 80 cm, see some selected examples below . Also, it seems difficult to recognize a consistent style in these works, since they vary from highly abstract with simple volumes to much more complex compositions. Source: Thomas Keller, Statuary-in-context.blogspot.

The Kusasi people live mainly in the Bawku district of the Upper East Region in Northern Ghana and partially in the western part of Northern Togo. Neighbors are the better known Mamprusi in the south and Moba in the east. This region, however, exhibits a highly diversified ethnic mix, even in the core areas of the individual peoples, and local migration is frequent. The Kusasi are considered as being autochthonous, they adhere to the typical animistic beliefs of West Africa, including ancestor worship; the influence of Islam is still minor. Their language is Kusaal, which belongs to the Oti-Volta sub-group of the Gur languages [1, 2]. Several other denominations are used for the Kusasi: Kusaal, Kusale, or Koussasse.

Concerning the statuary, images or photos of Kusasi statues or figures cannot be found in older literature – it is only recently that works attributed to the Kusasi have appeared on the tribal art market. Interesting, however, is a photo of a statue published by Seefried in 1911 [3] and designated as ‘’Fetischplatz beim Häuptling in Kpatua, Moab-Land’’ (fetish place at the chief’s in Kpatua, Moab-region), see above left (Moab is an alternate name for Moba). The same photo was published by Küas in 1939 [4], however with the designation ‘’Fetischgerät in Kpatua-Mamprussi’’ (fetish tool in Kpatua-Mamprussi). A search for the village of Kpatua reveals finally that it is located in the (according to [5] so-called) influence area, and not core area of the Mamprusi (or Mamprussi), but in the core area of the Kusasi.

Also "--this example highlights the difficulty of attributing statues and objects of Northern Ghana and Togo to a specific ethnic group. Considering a) the above-mentioned pronounced small-scale heterogeneity of the ethnic groups and frequent migrations, b) the also frequent mixing of the cultures of autochthonous and immigrated equestrian peoples (Mamprusi, Dagomba, etc.), and c) the not always clear denominations of the peoples, a precise and unquestionable attribution of cultural objects to individual peoples in Northern Ghana and Togo is impossible in most cases. The only possible attribution seems one related to the region of collection (if reliably known): i.e., for instance, ‘’Statue from the Kusasi area’’, rather than ‘’Statue from the Kusasi’’.

Keller, Thomas. Research outcome: Statuary from the Kusasi region, Northern Ghana-Togo. https://statuary-in-context.blogspot.ch, 31.03.2017.

Wood - Fair condition

Koussasse - Togo  (No Reserve Price)

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Koussasse - Togo (No Reserve Price)

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African & Tribal Art

This object is no longer available, but there’s still lots to explore

Koussasse - Togo (No Reserve Price)

Popular in African & Tribal Art

802 objects

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